Penny Wong was today caught out unable to explain or justify an egregious budget fiddle which is part of Labor’s desperate and cynical attempt to manufacture a surplus in 2012-13.

In an embarrassing performance on Channel 10’s Meet the Press the Finance Minister was all at sea trying to evade questioning about just one of many blatant budget fiddles that have been uncovered by the Coalition, said Acting Shadow Treasurer Andrew Robb.

Senator Wong was asked to explain why Labor is spendin...

The North Korean regime has demonstrated yet again that it remains committed to the provocative behaviour that has entrenched its isolation from the international community.

Its decision to launch a missile in defiance of the United Nations Security Council is a continuation of behaviour that typifies a pariah state.

The tragedy of this failed launch is that the regime has once again wasted huge sums of money, while millions of North Koreans starve living in abject poverty.

The fain...

TRANSCRIPT OF THE HON. TONY ABBOTT MHR

JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH SENATOR MITCH FIFIELD, SHADOW MINISTER FOR DISABILITIES, CARERS AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR

PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA

Subjects: National Disability Insurance Scheme; Sydney airport; environmental protections; Murray-Darling basin; Bob Brown.

E&OE……………………….……………………………………………………………

QUESTION:

Mr Abbott, you've stressed you don't wan...

The Coalition believes that the national disability insurance scheme is an idea whose time has come.

Right now, the treatment given to people with disabilities depends upon how the disability was incurred and which state it happened in. Most rely on state government-funded disability services where demand always outstrips supply.

It’s wrong that people’s treatment should depend upon the litigation lottery or more upon what the system can afford than upon people’s needs.

The na...